Okay, I decided to write a holiday fic. How could I not? This is along the same lines as "Ice Cream, Please!" More chapters to come.
"Only three more days! How many minutes is that Aunty?" Ella asked.
Olivia, holding out the girl's jacket and cueing her to step into it, smiled. Bending down to zip the jacket up Olivia finally answered the girl.
"I'm not entirely sure but I know someone who will know and we are on our way to see him!" Olivia looked concerned when she noticed the frown on her niece's face.
"What's the matter, sweetie?" Olivia asked.
Ella thought about what she was going to say. Truth be told, she didn't want to upset her aunt. Mommy said she had an "important" job. She wasn't quite sure what that meant and why her aunt sometimes comes in late at night—sometimes missing story time, but she did know it was important; like a president or something.
She pouted her lip and then spoke softly, "but I thought we were going to see the lights…I mean, if you have to work I mean I guess…"
Olivia smiled and tugged the little girl's hat down to cover her ears. Ella was so sweet. She knew she had let her down one too many times before and she hated having to break their plans. Tonight would be different. She would make sure of it. Suddenly, she came up with an idea.
"I, Aunty Olivia Dunham, pinky-swear that we will go see the lights tonight, together!" Olivia outstretched her hand and flexed her pinky finger. "Now, do you Ella pinky-swear to see the lights tonight, no matter what?"
Ella bit her lip and pretended to consider the agreement. Not being able to conceal her excitement any longer, she broke out into a laugh and squealed, "I promise. Let's go!!!!!"
X
"Hat?"
"Check."
"Gloves?"
"Check."
"Money for the hot chocolates?"
"Ugh…I left my Ms. Piggy bank at home. I didn't know I was supposed to bring it…"
Olivia glanced in the rearview mirror and chuckled at Ella's sudden change in demeanor.
"I'm just kidding. Don't you worry about anything—I have the money. Now, we just need to take a quick stop at the place where Aunty works and then we'll be off on our way to see all the thousands of lights."
"How many lights?" Ella asked with sincere curiosity. She picked up the pamphlet she had been studying every night since her aunt told her about the Lots of Lights they would be going to see.
"But, the pamphlet doesn't say how many are exactly there. Maybe they don't know. Maybe there are so many lights they couldn't count them all. Maybe they don't have a latter tall enough to count them. Or maybe…" the little girl trailed on.
Olivia smiled. Just one quick stop…
Care to leave me a gift?